12 years later
by sarah-rahl
Summary: It is 12 years since Edward left Bella in the meadow in New Moon...my story of Jacob and Bella if Edward had never returned and the consequences of being hunted by Victoria. Now Bella needs help and there is one person who owes her...   Please review!
1. Chapter 1

12 years later…

I reached my arm out across the bed…but there was nothing, no warmth, no coldness, I could feel nothing. I lay on my side with my arms wrapped around my body in an attempt to hold myself together. I closed my eyes wishing I could sleep, I couldn't even cry, my tears had dried up a long time ago. I opened my eyes, they didn't need any time to adjust to the darkened room, they were quickly drawn towards the door where I heard a low sob, in the same second I was out of bed and in the next room.

'Shhhh, its okay, mommy's here' I picked up my son, so much more carefully than a normal mother would cradle their child and carried him as I paced the room humming a lullaby that caused a sinking feeling in my chest, but as it used to for me, it drifted him quietly back into his dreams. I held him close to me as I sat in the chair and looked out the window, scanning the scene outside for any sign of movement. I knew it would not take long for danger to find us here. I wondered how close it was right now. Thankfully I was pulled from my train of thought by a low whisper in the darkness.

'Mom?'

'I'm in here honey'

'Is Jake okay?'

'Yeah he is fine, he woke up but I got him to go back to sleep, here' I reached out my hand and she came and sat in my lap, resting her head over my aching chest, the warmth from her soothed the pain.

'Are you okay?'

'Mmm, I just don't like sleeping'

'I know baby'

'Are you going to see your friend tomorrow? Do you think he will help us?'

'I don't know'

'I think he will'

'I hope so'

'I don't like this place anyway'

'Me either'

I pulled her closer to me and wrapped my arms around my children. I couldn't help but smile, my eyes fixed on her as she watched Jake sleep. I kissed her head and breathed in her scent. A burning in my throat came to the surface but was immediately extinguished by an even deeper instinct – as a mother protecting her children.

'Are you warm enough?'

'Mom' her tone of voice would have been almost amusing if it didn't remind me so much of him.

'Okay, okay. I'm so cold though, but you feel so lovely and warm' I held her delicate hands in my own.

'You're so cold to me mom, not like da…'

'I know' I whispered as I wiped away the tears that fell down her face. It was unfair that she could express such a grief that was held inside all of us and I could not, but with my curse also came my strength, my ability to protect us.


	2. Chapter 2

'Dr Cullen will see you now'

I took a deep breath, an old habit from my human life which in a room full of warm blooded people was a careless mistake to have made. I hurried towards the door, perhaps a little too quickly, I hoped that no-one had noticed my slightly un-human like movement across the room.

I had not seen the Cullen's in twelve years. I had been so careful not to think of him for almost as long…I still could not bring myself to think of his name. What would they think of the situation I had found myself in? It was time to find out.

I opened the door.

'Hello Carlisle'

'Bella?...Bella!'

'You're a hard man to track down after all these years'

'I…I'm sorry Bella…I…' I walked into the room, over to the window and waited for him to close the door and face me. He just stared at me for a moment, and in that moment I already felt safer with him, it was easy to see that Carlisle had picked the perfect profession to go into.

'Bella, I didn't expect to see you…to see you like this…I mean I thought Alice would have seen your arrival…I apologise it's just you are the last person I was expecting to see today…but it is good to see you Bella. You have been…much missed.' He smiled such a sad smile at me, I think we both went back to our last meeting. A great sorrow came over me then, he had not just robbed me of himself but his family also.

'Thankyou Carlisle, I have missed you too, more than you will ever know… and I'm sorry that Alice was unable to give you any warning but I have been blocking her gift so that she could not see me coming. I was worried that you would not see me.'

'Blocking her?'

'Yes I suppose I have a gift similar to Alice and…' I still couldn't say it. Carlisle sensed my apprehension and continued the conversation.

'That is fascinating Bella, tell me how long have you...'

'Not long, only a few months'

'And you could stand to be in the waiting room, with all of those people? That certainly is impressive Bella. Who..'

'That's why I'm here Carlisle, please believe me that I do not come here to cause trouble but I had no-one else to go to. I need yours and…and his help and I think he owes me that much after what he left me to face'

'I don't understand'

'It's Victoria'.


	3. Chapter 3

'Maybe we should have waited, I mean we didn't need to come now'

'Bella, we are here to protect you now, you don't have to be alone anymore, you are all safer here, with us so why wait?'

I took a deep breath, and stared out of my window. We were speeding along the road towards the coast, the light was fading over the horizon and this is the time of day when fear would come over me, fear for my children, but here with Carlisle I felt safe for the first time since we last saw each other. I turned to look at Alice who was looking out of the window, a faint smile of excitement on her face, Jake was asleep in his carrier next to her. The car had turned down a winding side road that was almost completely hidden from view from the main road, it reminded me of the Cullen's house in Forks – the familiar ache in my chest began to surface.

'Did you tell him?'

'Not directly but I'm sure he knows, I wonder…'

'What?'

'If little Alice and Jake are immune to Edward's gift like you are'

'He can't hear them at the moment, my shield is protecting them'

'You have nothing to fear here, Bella'

'I know'

The car came to a stop outside the house. He wasn't there. Carlisle was already opening the passenger door to get Jake. I had never let anyone else pick him up before, I felt uneasy at the thought of not having him in my arms. I scanned the forest around us.

'Relax Bella, you're fine'

'I know, come on Alice'

She immediately got out of the car and took my hand. Carlisle started towards the front of the house, I started to follow but the figure appearing in the doorway stopped me. I could do nothing but stare at him.

'Is that him mom?' the low whisper came from my side.

'Bella' his velvet voice strained to say my name.

He was in front of me in an instant, so close to me, but keeping a guarded distance at the same time. I couldn't reply, I had to resist the urge to reach out and touch his face just to make sure he was real but the warmth against my hand reminded me of who had rescued me after the last time we parted. He looked down to my side where Alice was stood, his eyes wide – was that pain in his eyes at seeing the daughter of Jacob Black and Bella Swan? I was sure that no pain that he was enduring now could compete with the rip that was still embedded in my chest.

'Edward?'

'Yes?' He didn't take his eyes away from Alice as he replied to Carlisle.

'I think our guests would rather go inside than stay out here'

'Yes let's get these little one's inside' Esme appeared at the doorway.

'Oh Bella!' Esme hugged me tightly and I realised then how much I had really missed her. She turned her attention to Alice.

'Hello there, my name is Esme' she knelt down to her level and reached her hand out.

'I'm Alice' they shook hands and Esme's face lit up with the maternal instinct that was so strong in her but had been denied to fulfil its true potential.

'What a lovely name! I have a daughter called Alice too, ah here she is now'

Alice and Jasper appeared from the forest behind us. I could sense Jasper's uneasiness towards my warm blooded children. A hiss was rising in my throat but I silenced it when he retreated to keep his distance. I held Alice's shoulders ready to protect her if he slipped. Alice came skipping towards us.

'Hi Alice, I'm Alice – I think that already means we are going to be best friends' she laughed.

'Come on, I'll show you around the house'. She held her hand out for my daughter.

'It's okay honey' I encouraged my daughter to go, she smiled at me and took Alice's hand easily and they both headed towards the house. Alice turned to me and grinned.

'I should have known that you would have seen this'

'It wasn't easy keeping it from certain people, I don't know how I kept it in, I couldn't wait to see you, I missed you so much, I should have never left without saying goodbye' she glanced at Edward who ignored her, he was just staring at me. Carlisle and Esme carried Jake inside and Jasper disappeared to leave me alone with Edward.

How many times had I dreamt of this moment in the last 12 years?


End file.
